The European Union has announced it will invest 55 million pesos (US $3 million) to finance five Mexican projects to combat gender violence in 2026.
Making the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday, EU Ambassador to Mexico Francisco André said the five projects will be carried out in coordination with Mexican authorities and civil society organizations, all with the aim of strengthening the capacities of Mexico’s security and justice institutions to prevent gender-based violence.
They will promote empowerment and protection through political advocacy, new technologies and prevention networks, and are expected to improve access to justice for victims of crimes such as sexual violence, trafficking and child sexual exploitation.
“These are five new projects that will be implemented with highly reputable organizations in this country,” André said.
The investment is not the first that the EU has made to support human rights in Mexico. Since 2004, it has financed 70 civil society organizations in Mexico, with a total of 32 million euros (US $37.6 million), according to André.
The announcement coincided with a visit by Kajsa Ollongren, the EU’s special representative for human rights, who reiterated the bloc’s commitment to human rights in Mexico. Ollongren said that Mexico has gained recognition for its commitment to equality.
“It is good that the world recognizes Mexico as a place where equality is being taken seriously,” said Ollongren. “We have seen that violence against women has been a major problem, and this is related in some areas to war, but also to organized crime. We must not see women and girls as victims, but as people, and we want them to be empowered.”
Ollongren held a meeting with Zacatecas Governor David Monreal Ávila on Monday to discuss the state’s forensic identification program.
Sostuvimos una reunión de trabajo en materia de Búsqueda de Personas Desaparecidas e Identificación Humana; participaron Kajsa Ollongren, Representante Especial de la Unión Europea para los Derechos Humanos; Francisco André, Embajador de la Unión Europea en México e integrantes… pic.twitter.com/Puie6btHNG
— David Monreal Ávila (@DavidMonrealA) December 15, 2025
“I met with the authorities, the governor, and the attorney general, and we discussed how they are trying to make better use of the system to improve policies and work on missing persons,” said Ollongren. “Identifying people and determining the cause of death is paramount.”
During the press conference, André also stressed the work that the EU is doing with states such as Coahuila and Durango on search-and-rescue efforts and providing forensic technical assistance.
“We need to see how we can expand this support, this work of the European Union with civil society here in Mexico, with the authorities of each state,” said André. “It is a difficult, long, and demanding task that relies heavily on the determination of civil society, but also on the political will of state authorities. The truth is that in all the states where we are working, we feel this support, this commitment, and we are seeing results.”
With reports from El Financiero and El Universal
